[dannycamps]

Each day I do pretty much the same amount of driving in my '17 Volt. The past few days it has been fairly cold here in Delaware with temps in the 20s and low 30s. Yesterday it was 34 degrees, I started my 20 mile round-trip with 44 miles on the GOM, heat on 74/auto/eco and returned home with 24 EV miles remaining.

Today it warmed up to 55(!) degrees. I did the same trip starting with 44 on the GOM again, this time no climate - fan only and when I returned home, I had 36 miles remaining e.g. a 20 mile drive only took 8 miles off the expected range.

It's truly amazing how much the ambient temperature and climate affect the range.

 

[Slave to Opec]

Yep, mine went from 53 miles in mid-seventies temperatures to 43 miles in mid-thirties temperatures.

 

[BAZINGA]

Same here in southern IL. COLD weather sucks the life out of an EV's battery.

 

[lil' dave]

I was getting mid 40's for range but I was able to get 57 yesterday when the temp jumped up near 50 degrees.

 

[caskConditionedAle]

Old fashioned ICE vehicles are also less efficient in the cold weather. Most likely you didn't have all the data Volt drivers get to tell you so.

 

[voldar]

Don't forget guys, the tires pressure is also less than optimal in cold weather !

 

[Slotracer577]

Finally broke 50 ev miles yesterday. Warmed up to the 50's. So it looks like I might be able to make my daily commute on all ev once it gets warmer.

While I had a milage decrease with my tdi in cold weather it was 10% or less range difference in a full tank which was 570 miles in really cold weather to 630 in warm weather. I am going to miss being able to go 700 miles on a single tank while road tripping.

 

[bluzer1]

While I had a milage decrease with my tdi in cold weather it was 10% or less range difference in a full tank which was 570 miles in really cold weather to 630 in warm weather.

Yup but with the TDI you're getting your heat as waste from all that fuel.
I'll bet it would be closer to 10% at 50F if you only counted traction energy.

Put on your winter gear, do some test runs and let us know ;-)

 

[Slotracer577]

Yup but with the TDI you're getting your heat as waste from all that fuel.
I'll bet it would be closer to 10% at 50F if you only counted traction energy.

Put on your winter gear, do some test runs and let us know ;-)

The difference is I didn't have to do that. Yes ic engines are inherently inefficient and produce almost equal heat to useful energy, but in the winter it's free heat. So yes it has less lost range vs the volt in winter since I am not going to suffer to get a few more miles since it isn't going to go the whole trip on ev anyway.

I am curious to see how much range I loose when it gets warm and I run the ac. In the tdi I ran heat or ac, almost never vent only.

I like the volt but I feel it needed a 30kwh pack for my uses. I feel a bit short changed on the range, which is a combination of cold weather range degradation and I drive further than I thought each day. Turns out my shortest days are 50 miles and most are closer to 80, not even an issue in a tdi with a 600 mile range.

 

[bluzer1]

Yes ic engines are inherently inefficient and produce almost equal heat to useful energy, but in the winter it's free heat.

Not to start a debate but from everything I've read it's more like 3:1 even for a very efficient engine.

I am curious to see how much range I loose when it gets warm and I run the ac. In the tdi I ran heat or ac, almost never vent only.
... Turns out my shortest days are 50 miles and most are closer to 80, not even an issue in a tdi with a 600 mile range.

It does sound like a Bolt would've been a better fit for your needs. No matter you should still be able to get better mileage in the Volt than the tdi and you can do your city/shopping drives in EV.

 

[Slotracer577]

Yes a Bolt probably is a better fit for daily use except it won't do my weekend trips. About 300 miles each Saturday. I do really like ev, but batteries need to be bigger.

An ic engine energy goes roughly into thirds, 1/3 produces power, 1/3 waste heat radiator and 1/3 waste heat exhaust.

 

[Arcanox]

I get mid 40s EV range when it's below 45-50 *F, and mid-high 50s when it's 55-60. The efficiency curve is incredible...a few degrees Fahrenheit can affect your range by 5 miles or more.

 

[Triarius]

Not to start a debate but from everything I've read it's more like 3:1 even for a very efficient engine.

That was once true, but it's a bit pessimistic in the era of direct injection, EGR, and miller cycle engines. If by "very efficient engine" you mean the current automotive record holder, the gen IV prius, than the actual ratio is 1.5:1.